Starter for an engine



v. c. HoDGEs STARTER FOR AN ENGINE Dec. 24, 1935.

filed sept. 22

, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l nverz'oz. Vera fHocges.

lill/l 28 Maz-nays.

Dec. 24, 1935. v, HODGES 2,025,166

STARTER FOR- AN ENGINE Filed sept. 22, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE Eclipse Aviation Corporation,

East Orange,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 22, 1934, Serial No. '745,122

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a starter for a gearless internal combustion engine and the principal object of the invention isto provide a starter with a shaft in driving connection with the engine shaft, and that ls practically automatic in moving a normally idle gear into mesh with a driven gear to start the engine, with other automatic means `for holding the idle gear in a neutral or idle position after the engine is started. To that end I provide an idle gear in the starter that by means of a plunger is normally held out of mesh with a driven gear that is always in driving connection with the engine shaft so that when the plunger is manually moved out of holding engagement with the idle gear a spring will automatically move it into engagement with the driven gear or in position to start the engine. The idle gear is driven by a pinion in driving connection with a motor shaft with an electric switch arranged in connection with the motor that is closed when the plunger is moved out of the way of the idle gear shifting means. In other words the plunger is manually moved out of the way of the gear shifting means and as it is moved a switch is closed to start the motor; and also as the plunger is thus moved the gear shifting means is automatically actuated to engage the idle gear with the driven gear, and as soon as the engine is started momentum throws the idle gear back to its normal position where a latching means catches and holds it until the plunger is returned to its normal position to release the latching means.

A feature of invention is shown in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts whereby the idle gear is always in partial mesh with the driving pinion that is in driving connection with the motor, and is normally held out of mesh with the driven gear connected to the engine shaft, with automatic means for shifting the idle gear and its carriage in a straight course to move it into full mesh with the driving pinion and also into full mesh with the driven gear.

A feature of invention is shown in constructing and arranging the plunger so that when pulled against the tension of the plunger spring the way will be cleared for the gear shifting means to follow it up and automatically move the idle gear in position to establish a driving connection between the motor and engine so that the latter can be started.

Another feature of invention is shown in the construction and arrangement of a latch means for catching the gear shifting means and temporarily holding the idle gear in a neutral position when it has been thrown out of mesh with the driven gear by the starting of the engine.

A further feature of invention is shown in the construction and arrangement of the latching means and plunger whereby the latter disengages 5 the former when the plunger is returned to its normal position.

Another feature of invention is shown in connecting the pull bar of the plunger with the pull bar of the electric switch so that they can be op- 10 erated by a single wire extended from the cock pit of an airplane to the starter.

Other objects, advantages and features of in- Vention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and 15 the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the in# vention, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end View of an engine starter constructed in accordance with this invention show- 20 ing the center portion of the motor broken away to more clearly disclose the electric switch that is shown in longitudinal section with the switch open.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view 25 illustrating the connection between the draw bars of the switch and plunger.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the starter, and indicating by dotted lines the means for securing the starter housing to the engine housing, also 30 indicating by dotted lines the driving connection interposed between the engine shaft and the motor shaft.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental semi-diagrammatic side View of parts of the starter showing by full lines 35 the relatively idle position of idle gear as related to the driving pinion and driven gear, and by dotted lines showing the idle gear in full mesh with both the driving pinion and the driven gear.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of the car- 40 riage and mounting for carrying the idle gear in a straight course toward and from the driven gear connected to the engine shaft.

Fig. 6 is a grouped side and edge view of the bell crank for moving the idle gear carriage.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental longitudinal section through the safety plunger housing detached from the starter housing.

Fig. 8 is a semi-diagrammatic view of the latching means as associated with the bell crank and 50 safety plunger showing how the plunger holds the dog of the latch means disengaged from the side pin carried by the bell crank.

Fig. 9 'is a fragmental end View of the starter with an end plate removed to show the connection 5b between the worm on the motor shaft and the driving pinion.

Fig. is a fragmental view showing the shaft of the driving pinion in cross section and by dotted lines showing the idle gear and the carriage.

Fig. 1l is a view analogous to Fig. 10 with the gear shifting parts in place and the plunger housing and safety plunger shown in section illustrating how the free end of the plunger engages the pin on the ball crank tonormally hold the idle gear out of mesh with the driven gear;. and also shows how it holds the dog of the latching means disengaged from the pin.

Fig. 12 is a view analogous to Fig. 11 showing the safety plunger moved against the tension of the plunger spring so the bell crank is free toy follow up the plunger and move the idle gear forf ward in a straight course into mesh with the driven gear, the bell crank Vbeing automatically actuated by the bell crank spring.

Fig. 13 is a view analogous to Fig. 12 except in this figure the safety plunger and its housing are omitted to more clearly show how the latch means engages the bell crank pin to temporarily hold the idle gear in a normal disengaged position that is maintained until the plunger is manually released and returned to its normal position to disengage the latching means and then hold the idle gear safely out of engagement with the driven gear.

Thestarter includes a housing I4 having an annular flange I5 that is secured by bolts I6 to a similar fiange I 1 on the engine housing I8, the latter being shown fragmentally and by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and as also indicated in this figure the engine has a shaft I9 with an enlarged end having a splined socket 2I in which the splined end 22 of a clutch shaft 23 is detachably secured.

'The clutch shaft 23 is provided with a large driven gear 24 that is fixed relative to transverse movement and so that the idle gear 25 can be moved in a straight course toward or from it to mesh their teeth or separate them as may be necessary. v

The idle gear 25 is mounted on a shaft 26 having its ends journaled in the side walls of a carriage 21 supported at its front end on the screw pins 28 andA at its rear end on the cross bolt 29 arranged in the spaced side walls 30, 3| of the housing I4, as semi-diagrammatically indicated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 10 to 13.

'I'he carriage 21 is provided with slots 32 through which the guide pins 28Vand bolt 29 are extended that permit it to be moved a sufficient distance forward in a straight course to mesh the teeth of the idle gear 25 with the drive gear 24 or reversely to move the teeth out of mesh.

The shaft 25 is extended a suiicient distance at one side of the carriage 21 through the hole 33 of wall 30 to extend through the slot 34 in the free end of thel bell crank 35. This crank has its other end pivotally mounted on a pin 36 in a bracket 31 that is secured to the wall 30 by screws 38.

The bracket 31 is arranged so that it holds the pivotal end of the bell crank 35 adjacent the edge of the opening 33, and the crank is curved on one side from its pivotal to its slotted end to form a clearance for the jack shaft 39 that extends centrally through the opening 33. This shaft has its ends mounted in bearing 40 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The shaft 39 has a driving pinion 4l that is always partly in mesh with the idle gear 25 and in full mesh with the pinion when the latter is moved into full mesh with the driven gear 24, as shown in the drawings and fully illustrated in Fig. l0. As seen therein the full line position of the idle gear indicates it only in partial mesh With the drive pinion 4I and fully out of mesh with the driven gear 24. In Fig. 4 by dotted lines the idle gear is shown in full mesh with both the driving pinion 4I and the driven gear 24.

Adjacent the other end of the shaft 39 is a worm gear 42 in mesh with a worm 43 on shaft l0 44 of the electric motor 45 so that when the motor is driven the drive pinion 4I will be actuated to rotate the idle gear 25 which, when in full mesh with the pinion 4I and gear 24 will move the parts to start the engine. l5

The idle gear is normally held out of mesh with the driven gear '24 by a safety plunger 46 that is arranged to normally engage a'latch pin 41 on the bell crank 35 and push it back against the tension of a gear shift spring 48 that has one 20 end connected by a screw 49 to the bell crank 35 and the other end secured by a screw 50 to the wall of the housing I4,

The tension of the spring 48 is suflicient to Ymove the bell crank and associated parts to 25 mesh the idle gear 25 with the driven gear 24 whenever the plunger is movedv to release its holding engagement with the latch pin 41.

The plunger 46 is arranged i-n a screw housing 3| secured in a socket 52 in the starter hous- 30 ing I4 and arranged in the housing 5I is a plungerspring 53 that is under tension between the plug 54 and a 'shoulder 55 on the plunger so that normally the Vplunger is forced out of the housing 5I by the tension of spring 53 a suf- 35v iicient distance to move the idle gear 25 out of mesh with the driven gear 24. In other words the tension of the plunger spring 53 is great enough to overcome the resistance of the spring 48 so that normally the bell crank and asso- 40? ciated parts are held in an idle position by the pressure of the safety plunger 46 on the flat surface 56 of the latch pin 41.

When the safety plunger 46 is moved by its k drawbar 51 against the tension of the springY 53 4"5 the pressure on the pin 41 will be released so that the gear shift spring 48 will move the bell crank 35 and cause the pin 41 to follow up the plunger for some distance, or until the bell crank through its connection to the carriage 21 causes 5o' the idle gear 25 to fully mesh with the driving pinion 4I and driven gear 24, this meshing of the parts acts as a stop to the follow-up movement of the pin and bell crank. M

VIt is obvious that the plunger can be moved on against the tension of the spring 53 until it is fully collapsed which, of course, will stop a furi ther movement of the plunger in that direction.

The distance the bell crank and associated n parts move to mesh the idle gear with the driven V gear 24is very slight and during this meshing movement the carriage 21 and gear 25 move in a straight course. Also during the forward or meshing movement of the gears the tooth 58 of the latch dog 59 rides on the top flat surface GBV 69 of the latch pin 41.

The dog 59 is pivotally mounted on the bearing pin 6I and is pressed toward the pin 41 by a spring 62 semi-diagrammatically shown in Figs.

8, 9 and ll'to 13. T0'i When the engine is started the idle gear 25 will be thrown out of mesh with the gear 24 With sufficient force to overcome Vthe tension of the spring 48 and cause the bell-crank and assoelated parts to move toward the dog 59 so the 75* pinf41wil1 be-under ityan'd When'sopositioned the spring 62 will .force the dog downward so its tooth 58 will hook overthe pin .as shown in Fig. 13,.and thus hold the idle vgear out offmesh and against the tension of the spring v48.

The latch dog 59 isv disengaged from thepin by theplunger returning to normal position. In other words when the pull bar 51 is released the tension of the spring 53 will drive the plunger toward the pin 41 .withsufiicient force to disengage the'dog fand-*function in its place as a safety means for holding the gea-r shifting means 1in an idle position. In other words the principal function of the safety plunger is to hold the gear shifting means in an idle position. It is obvious that it does not shift the gears, but when a meshing ofthe gears is to be effected it is simply` pulledout of the way so that the automatic means can function to accomplish the desired result.

Thedraw` bar 51 has a nut 53- on its free end that is engaged by an arm 64 when the switch rod 65 on which the arm is secured is actuated by the draw wire 66 in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 1, 2 and' 3.

When the wire 66 is moved it will move the switch rod65 to close the switch 61 and will also move the safety plunger 46 against the tension of the spring 53 for the purpose previously described; and the nut 63 is adjustable on the rod 65 so it can be set so the switch and plunger can be operated in a proper timed relationship with one another, or so the motor 45 will be operated when the idler gear 25 is in proper mesh with the pinion 4I and driven gear 24.

It is understood that any suitable means can be provided in the cock pit of an airplane for pulling the wire B6 when the starter is used with an airplane engine, or the pulling means can be arranged in a convenient place in an automobile. Such means are old in the art and for that reason are not shown or described in detail as they form no part of this invention.

It is also understood that any suitable electric switch can be used but preferably the switch 61 is employed. It is provided with the insulated contact block 68 on the rod 65 that is movable longitudinally in the housing 69 to close the circuit between the spring contact 1U in circuit with the wire 1| and contact 12 in circuit with the wire 13. It is understood that the wires 1| and 13 are in circuit with the motor 45 and a source of energy not shown so that when the switch is closed the motor will be started.

In operation the wire 56 is pulled to close the switch and simultaneously pull the safety plunger 46 out of the way of the gear shifting means so that the spring 48 can move the idle gear into full mesh with the driving pinion 4I and driven gear 24.

It will be readily seen that the safety plunger does not shift the gears in either direction but functions as a means for releasing the latching means and holding the gear shifting means in a safety or idle position. It will also be readily seen that the latching means is released when the safety plunger is in its safety position so that the gear shifting means can instantly and automatically move tow-ard meshing position with the gear and pinion the moment the pull wire is actuated to start the engine. Also it can be readily seen that the plunger can be held out of neutral position by the wire G6 for an indefinite time, as the latching means will instantly and automatically catch the gear shifting means the momentthe engine has started .andthrow'it out of mesh` and will hold the starting. gearsu out of mesh until relieved'ibythe return Vof the ,safety plunger' to` a neutral pdsition` as described.

A:'Ihis'application is a re-ling .of myapplica.- tion No. 544,175, originally led June 13, 1931 and allowed September 16, 1932, but. ro-t issued.

I claimY as, vmy invention:

1. A starter for an internal combustion engine havingan engine shaft including a driven gear in driving connectionwith an engine shaft, an electrical motor, a driving pinion in driving connection with themotor driven shaft, an idlegear normally in partial mesh with said drivingpinion and adapted to be moved in a straight'line into full. mesh with saidv pinion and. also with said driven gear, a plunger arranged to normally hold said idle gear out of mesh with said driven gear, a draw bar for moving saidv plunger out of holding engagement with said idle gear, ,and au- 20 tomatic ,means for moving said idle gear into mesh with said driven gear when said plunger is moved outl of holding engagement with said idle gear.

2,. ,In a starter for an engine the combination with an idle gear adapted yto be moved'in/a straight course into and out of mesh witha driven gear that is in driving connection with an engine shaft, a carriage on which said idle gear is mounted, a bell crank pivotally connected to said carriage, a pin on said bell crank, a safety plunger for engaging said pin to normally hold said idle gear out of mesh with said driven gear, a pull bar for moving said plunger out of holding engagement with said pin, automatic means for moving said bell crank to move said idle gear into mesh with said driven gear when said plunger ,-is released from said pin, of a motor connected to said starter and a driving pinion in driving connection with said motor for actuating said idle gear to start the engine when in mesh with said driven gear.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 with, and a latching means for engaging said pin for holding said idle gear out of mesh with said driven gear after the engine has been started.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2 with, a latching means for engaging said pin for holding said idle gear out of mesh With said driven gear after the engine has been started, said safety plunger arranged to disengage said vlatching means from said pin when returned to normal position, and a spring for returning said plunger into a holding engagement with said pin.

5. In a starter for an engine the combination with an idle gear adapted to be moved in a straight course into and out of mesh with a driven gear that is in driving connection with an engine shaft, a carriage on which said idle gear is mounted, a bell crank pivotally connected to said carriage, a pin on said bell crank, a safety plunger, a plunger spring for holding said plunger in engagement with said pin to normally hold said idle gear out of mesh with said driven gear, a pull bar for moving said plunger against the tension of said spring to release said pin, a gear shift spring for actuating said bell crank to move said idle gear into mesh with said driven gear when said pin is released by said plunger, of a motor connected to said starter, and a driving pinion in driving connection with said motor for actuating said idle gear to start the engine when in mesh with said driven gear.

6. A starter for an engine that has a driven gear within its own housing that connects to and revolves continuously with the engine shaft, a

driving pinion in driving connection with a motor shaft xed relative to lateral or longitudinal movement, an idle gear mounted in an individual carriage that is movable in a straight course into full mesh with said driving pinion and driven gear by means of a spring that at all times has a tendency to move said idle gear into mesh with said driving pinion and said driven gear, a latching means for temporarily holding said idle gear out of mesh position while the engine is running, a plunger that releases said latching means and prevents said idle gear from moving into mesh with said pinion and driven gear after said latching means is released, and manual means for moving said plunger for the purpose specified.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 with, an electrical switch movable in timed relationship with said plunger for starting the motor when in driving connection with the engine, a draw bar for actuating said safety plunger in one direction, and a spring for moving it in the other.

8. A starter for an internal combustion engine including a housing, a gear shifting means in said housing adapted to be automatically moved to form a temporary driving connection between two normally separated gears within said starter,

a shell adjustably extended through said housy ing, a safety plunger in said shell for normally engaging and holding said gear shifting means in an idle position, a spring for actuating said plunger toward said means, and a draw-bar for manually moving said plunger against the tension of said spring so that said gear shifting means can follow up said plunger to form said driving connection.

9. A starter for kan internal combustion engine including a starter housing, normally separated gears therein, a bell crank, a spring for automatically actuating said bell crank to move one of said gears into mesh with the other, a shell adjustably secured in said housing that has an inner open end, a plugged outer end to said shell, a safety plunger slidably mounted in and normally extended from the open endof said shell, a housed spring in said shell arranged .to

normally hold said plunger engaged with said 20 Y* form a driving connection between said separated 25 gears.

VERA C. HODGES. 

